Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - 2022-23 season thread part III

[guitarguyvic]

The streak has hilariously coincided with Carolina winning 4 in a row, the Rangers winning 6 in a row, and Pittsburgh winning 7 in a row. Washington has ticked up lately too. That’s made things seem much more dire than what would otherwise be a barely notable 5 game blip. It has definitely juiced the doomers though.

Carolina, Rangers, and Pittsburgh are never going to lose again and we have zero chance of beating them.

Boston is better than the 77 Canadiens and will break the record for most points in a season, they are never gonna slump and we will be easy pickings for them.

Washington is back in form and will take our playoff spot. These last five games are evidence that the first 25 were a fluke. We are cooked. I don’t even understand why anyone is gonna be bothering to watch anymore games this season.

Am I doing it right?

 

[devilsblood]

Yeah. And it was remarkable that they managed a zero point L to Philly. There shouldn’t even be a streak to break with that horrific loss to the Rangers, but it happened.

If they were moping and getting crapped on by teams I’d be way more concerned. They lost some evenly played tight games against Dallas and Florida. These things happen, not everything happens for a reason or is attached to a narrative.

What does that mean exactly? There shouldn't even be a streak? Do we brush off losses if they are horrific?

And while we are not getting crapped on, we don't look especially good. We agree Rags loss was terrible. I thought we looked uninspired vs Dallas. A ton of shots but only 1 goal vs a bad philly team.

So sure, despite this streak we don't look terrible, I'd like to think the bar is higher then that though.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

What does that mean exactly? There shouldn't even be a streak? Do we brush off losses if they are horrific?

And while we are not getting crapped on, we don't look especially good. We agree Rags loss was terrible. I thought we looked uninspired vs Dallas. A ton of shots but only 1 goal vs a bad philly team.

So sure, despite this streak we don't look terrible, I'd like to think the bar is higher then that though.

It means that we were a penalty shot away from blowing out a team on the road and some crazy shit happened. If you want to attach that to a narrative, have fun. But it was just some weird shit that happened. I’m not going to drive myself crazy over this.

 

[MartyOwns]

Carolina, Rangers, and Pittsburgh are never going to lose again and we have zero chance of beating them.

Boston is better than the 77 Canadiens and will break the record for most points in a season, they are never gonna slump and we will be easy pickings for them.

Washington is back in form and will take our playoff spot. These last five games are evidence that the first 25 were a fluke. We are cooked. I don’t even understand why anyone is gonna be bothering to watch anymore games this season.

Am I doing it right?

dude i appreciate the 180 more than most but split the difference. there are legitimate concerns, and essentially blowing our entire cushion isn’t good.

if we start winning again very very soon (i don’t think .650 is unreasonable) we can still maintain our spot towards the top. on the other hand, if this continues for another week or two we’re fighting for a wild card spot.

this is a pretty critical juncture here, and we don’t have palat or bastian. and our schedule doesn’t get easier from here. i think with some adjustments (sevs back in, smith out, haula out, call up in, putting bratt on mcleod’s wing etc etc etc) we can definitely pull this out. we need to figure out a way to be at least .500 until palat gets back. it starts with the next game, so let’s hope for the best.

 

[devilsblood]

It means that we were a penalty shot away from blowing out a team on the road and some crazy shit happened. If you want to attach that to a narrative, have fun. But it was just some weird shit that happened. I’m not going to drive myself crazy over this.

Talk about a narrative.....

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Talk about a narrative.....

Every game you see a missed penalty shot and then a phantom penalty, a goal scored immediately on the gift PP and then a quick breakdown 7 seconds later to tie the game. This is what we should expect to close out the year.

 

[Guadana]

Bratt zero points last 4 games

Nico zero points last 3 games

Mercer zero points last 3 games

Tatar zero points last 4 games

Sharangovich 1 assist last 5 games

Wood 1 point last 5 games

Haula 2 point last night - zero points pervious 4 games.

 

[Lou is God]

my teams didnt lose for like a month and now they cant buy a win lol sad!

I was thinking the same damn thing lol. We can't ever have anything nice on both fronts.

 

[devilsblood]

Every game you see a missed penalty shot and then a phantom penalty, a goal scored immediately on the gift PP and then a quick breakdown 7 seconds later to tie the game. This is what we should expect to close out the year.

Of we could actually kill the penalty, or maybe not have a breakdown 7 seconds later. Or we could win a 3 on 1 battle in the corner in OT just prior to the GWG.

But sure, weird shit, doesn't count.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Of we could actually kill the penalty, or maybe not have a breakdown 7 seconds later. Or we could win a 3 on 1 battle int he corner in OT just prior to the GWG.

But sure, weird shit, doesn't count.

It counts and by all means, you’re allowed to have your cry. I just don’t want to participate. That loss has absolutely nothing to do with the Dallas, Philly, or Florida losses, which are almost entirely about not scoring.

A few games of not scoring and the world is ending. I’ve been here long enough to know that’s how it goes, it’s just been a while since we’ve actually been good while it happens.

 

[RNCDevil]

As much as I don't like Smith, is he costing them games? I am more concerned that the prime ice time players like Siegs, Bratt, Hamilton seem to have dipped and that Haula, Mercer, Tatr and Yegor cannot finish prime chances. Hughes, Marino just keep on humming so that's encouraging.
McStone and Holtz and picking it up...I see no role for Boqvist whatsoever.

And for heavens sake take Wood off PP2..he can only wrap it around the boards. Dude is useless on the PP.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

still a good sign.

/ducks from all the "CHARTS DONT MATTER!" people

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

still a good sign.

/ducks from all the "CHARTS DONT MATTER!" people

Oh no! Anyway

 

[MartyOwns]

 

[devilsblood]

It counts and by all means, you’re allowed to have your cry. I just don’t want to participate. That loss has absolutely nothing to do with the Dallas, Philly, or Florida losses, which are almost entirely about not scoring.

A few games of not scoring and the world is ending. I’ve been here long enough to know that’s how it goes, it’s just been a while since we’ve actually been good while it happens.

It's cool that you went on the opposite end of the spectrum. But as Martyowns is noting above regarding guitarguyvic, there is a middle ground that is more akin to reality.

The team has cooled rather considerably. We can talk about why, if and how we can get out of it, or we can act it's just weird shit and it's not worth talking about.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

It's cool that you went on the opposite end of the spectrum. But as Martyowns is noting above regarding guitarguyvic, there is a middle ground that is more akin to reality.

The team has cooled rather considerably. We can talk about why, if and how we can get out of it, or we can act it's just weird shit and it's not worth talking about.

They aren’t scoring enough goals and some key players have been cold for a couple games. And they’re getting absolutely nothing out of Boqvist and most of the bottom 6 including Holtz and Sharangovich. All can be said without the panicky crap spewed all over.

 

[Devils731]

I think the Devils are playing fine despite losing but also need to add a plan B.

Opponents are bypassing their defensive blue line and dumping pucks in more often. This is skipping the part of the ice the Devils are strongest and getting the puck to where the Devils are the weakest more frequently.

Opponents are also baiting the Devils into forechecking all the way down to the goal line which is stretching the Devils out too far, limiting support. When engaging at the blue line the Devils would have 1 or 2 players supporting the attacking player.

When teams start to play this way, I would probably drop the Devils line of engagement back to the red line, counterattack if the opponents try to skate/pass through, and provide a forward to help with the recovery and breakout on dump ins.

 

[Bleedred]

The team has cooled rather considerably. We can talk about why, if and how we can get out of it, or we can act it's just weird shit and it's not worth talking about.

Well, first of all..... Don't send Schmid back

DOH!

 

[devilsblood]

Oh no! Anyway

So 2 ppg's over 5 games. Can we talk about that?

1 pp shot from Bratt over that span.

They aren’t scoring enough goals and some key players have been cold for a couple games. And they’re getting absolutely nothing out of Boqvist and most of the bottom 6 including Holtz and Sharangovich. All can be said without the panicky crap spewed all over.

I noted shot rates above. All the wingers this side of Wood are just not shooting enough. Is that because other teams are playing us differently? Have those guys lost some pep in their step?

 

[Bleedred]

I think I'm more annoyed at the Rangers loss than any of the others right now

We were up 2 goals in that game, both 2-0 and 3-1

Wasn't that the game special teams really blew? Or was that another game recently? I'm sure there's been a few of them. There was one game where the PK was horrific and couldn't get a single clear when we weren't getting scored on and then there was a game where our PP gave up more chances than we created. I can't remember if that was the Rangers game or not, but I think it was. The game I'm thinking of was definitely before the Flyers game. Maybe it was the Dallas game and not the Rangers game?

Anyway, up 2-0 and 3-1 in that game. There were a lot of things I didn't like about that game, including the OT winner on Vanecek not being a great goal to give up.

And it also gave the Rangers two points while it could have cooled them down.

It was the only game we got a point out of these last 5, so surely maybe winning one of the others would have helped more if we still got that OT point in that game, but that one stings with the multi-goal leads and the poor special teams.

 

[None Shall Pass]

I mean, you want to build up a cushion, like we did, in case you go through a tough streak, like we are.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

So 2 ppg's over 5 games. Can we talk about that?

You can talk about whatever you want, as long as it’s not the intolerable “we’re done” bullshit after a small rough patch.

 

[Better Call Sal]

 

[Devils731]

I don’t know what Ruff means by “nothing really” but I do think teams have adjusted to the Devils based on prescouting and the Devils should add some adjustments or tweaks in response.

You never run the same system without changes forever.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Too many RangersDoggo's in here lately